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County looks at adding staff to alleviate courthouse fights

The Montgomery County Commission reconvened Monday and the first topic for the new year was to consider adding staff to help separate victims of domestic violence cases and their alleged perpetrators. It would put the county in accordance with an amendment to the Abuse Law and Domestic Violence Law.

Due to limited space at the County Court House, victims and those accused of domestic violence have been sitting and waiting in the same room before they are called in before the judge.

Sheriff Derrick Cunningham said they have had several fights break out because families of victims and accusers were in close proximity to each other.

"We've had several fights," Cunningham said. "They all sit in the same area, but when the law changed, we have to separate them."

The new amended law calls for the court to provide a waiting area for the victims, separate from the relative and witnesses of the defense. In case room is not available, the court must find ways to minimize contact between the two parties, according to Montgomery Family Court Judge Anita L. Kelly.

"The design of the law is for the greater protection of the victims of domestic violence, so legislature has designed a number of ways to address the problem," Kelly said. "Safety is our primary concern."

Some of the ways she suggested to the commissioners was to implement signage directing parties to their designated areas, additional benches added to the waiting area and additional staff to direct litigants and maintain order.

Cunningham suggest two part-time positions for the job, which would be a minimal cost solution, he said.

The final decision is scheduled to be made at the next County Commission meeting, County Chairman Elton Dean said.

"We are going to be working on that to get that straight, because the sheriff brought up a very good point. We don't want anything to happen before we take some action," Dean said.

In other news

The County Commission approved a contract extension with Sentinel Offender Service LLC., in regards to using GPS electronic monitoring systems to track offenders and community corrections, which extends service until April 30.

The County Commission approved $15,000 to be appropriated to the Alabama Dance Theatre and $7,500 to The Samaritan Counseling Center.

In addition, County Engineer employees were lauded for their voluntary efforts to work through the Christmas holiday to help maintain road closures and barricades during the recent rains.